watching a winning team at Wrigley Field,

CHICAGO -- Francisco Liriano wasnt quite sure where his pitches were going. The one thing he did control was his emotions. Liriano pitched two-hit ball over seven innings and the Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs 2-0 Friday for their major league-leading 10th shutout, matching Pittsburghs total for all of last season. It is, as manager Clint Hurdle said, a "remarkable number." And it stands out even more because the Pirates dont have a complete game. Liriano (4-2) walked five, his most since Sept. 1 last year, but struck out eight to help Pittsburgh stop a three-game losing streak. "I didnt feel, location-wise, I was that good," he said. "I was missing my spots a lot, and I walked too many guys. You know, just keep fighting til the end." Liriano walked two in the second and two in the fourth. But rather than get rattled, he worked his way out of trouble both times and came away with the win after a two-start losing streak. Mark Melancon pitched the eighth, and Jason Grilli finished the five-hitter for his major league-leading 23rd save in as many chances. After two-out singles by Ryan Sweeney and pinch-hitter Dioner Navarro, Grilli struck out Darwin Barney to preserve another shutout. "We had 10 (shutouts) all last year and actually we pitched a lot better last year than we did the first year I was here," Hurdle said. "It just speaks to the job the pitchers are doing here, No. 1 throwing strikes, keeping the ball down. Weve been able to get a little better at it every year, and this year, obviously, weve taken it to another level at this point in the season." Russell Martin had two hits, including an RBI double off Travis Wood (5-4) in the sixth, as the Pirates won for the second time in seven games. Jordy Mercer doubled twice. Pittsburgh continued to struggle at the plate after managing just one hit off Julio Teheran in a 5-0 loss at Atlanta on Wednesday. This time, the Pirates finished with seven hits. Wood gave up one run and four hits in six innings with two walks and six strikeouts, but couldnt quite match Liriano on the mound. "He kept us off balance, kept the ball down all day," Wood said. "He really worked us. Even though he had several walks, he was able to battle around that and pitch a good ballgame." He had the Cubs first hit, a one-out single in the fifth, after hitting his first career grand slam in a win over the Chicago White Sox last week. "Travis has been the same all year," Barney said. "Hes been consistent pounding the zone. He was a little bit more sporadic than he has been. But he still had good stuff. He keeps them off balance." Outscored 29-11 and shut out three times in their previous six games, the Pirates went ahead in the sixth. After escaping a bases-loaded jam in the second, Wood retired 11 straight before Mercers one-out double. Mercer advanced on Andrew McCutchens fly to right and scored on Martins double. "I just told myself I was going to be aggressive and not wait around," Martin said. "Hes throwing lots of strikes, and I picked a side of the plate." Travis Snider added an RBI grounder in the ninth against Carlos Villanueva after Martins walk and Pedro Alvarezs single. NOTES: Pirates LHP Wandy Rodriguez is to throw a bullpen session on Monday before the team decides whether he will go on the DL, although manager Clint Hurdle did say there was no "acute structural damage to the ligament" in Rodriguezs throwing arm. Rodriguez got only one out in Wednesdays loss at Atlanta before leaving with tightness in his left forearm. ... Sweeney, the Cubs CF, made a neat catch in the eighth when he raced to his right and dove to snag Starling Martes drive. ... Sveum said Rafael Dolis, on the 15-day DL with a mild strain in his right forearm, is "a lot better," and Shawn Camp (sprained right big toe) threw a bullpen session on Friday. Sveum also said no date has been set for Kyuji Fujikawa to have ligament-replacement surgery on his right elbow. ... A.J. Burnett (3-6, 3.22 ERA) starts Saturday for the Pirates, with Jeff Samardzija (3-6, 2.96 ERA) going for the Cubs. Lakers Jerseys 2020 . Defencemen Drew Doughty, Shea Weber and forward Ryan Getzlaf also scored for the Canadians, who started their gold-medal defence 2-0. Goalie Roberto Luongo, getting the call in place of Game 1 starter Carey Price, was solid when needed in making 23 saves for the shutout. Los Angeles Lakers Pro Shop . SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. https://www.lakersjerseycheap.com/ . Mats Zuccarello and Derek Stepan scored shootout goals, and backup goalie Cam Talbot earned his second win in two nights as the Rangers shook off a late tying tally and beat the Maple Leafs 2-1 Monday night. Los Angeles Lakers Store . The phone hearing is scheduled for 4:30pm et/1:30pm pt. Winchester, who was not penalized for the hit, appeared to make contact with Kellys head early in the first period of Thursdays game in Boston. Wholesale Lakers Jerseys . -- Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson asked his players a simple question during Fridays morning shootaround: How many of them had ever been on a team 14 games over . They did it. The Chicago Cubs -- my Chicago Cubs -- won the World Series. And, of course, they did it in the most Cubs way possible, prompting one last heart attack before finally giving us all a story for the ages.Ive imagined this night so many times and never couldve pictured the roller coaster of emotions that was this Game 7. The leadoff homer from Dexter Fowler, the solo shot from David Ross in his final career game, Jon Lester in relief, the blown lead, the two-run 10th inning and the final out. It was the best game of any kind Ive ever been to in my life -- and would have been even if the Cubs hadnt won.It almost feels silly to care so much about a World Series win -- someone wins every single year, after all. And yet for the last century, the Cubs have defied the odds in the worst possible way, managing to avoid the winners circle for 108 years. And now that theyre finally on top, the moment will be fleeting. Like every team that came before them, the Cubs will get just one victory lap around the sun before theyll have to win it all again or pass the mantle. No matter, that year will forever feel like a lifetime to Cubs fans.Wednesday nights ups and downs may have shaved a few years off my life, but the end result was magical. Out in the field for that final out were a handful of guys that made my heart burst with pride. Guys that Id wished to be the ones to break the streak, to live forever as heroes in Chicago. And in the dugout, the late arrival whose presence always takes my mind out of the game and into the concerns of the real world. Closer Aroldis Chapman, he of the powerful arm and flaming fastballs.When Chapman reported to the Yankees at the end of his 30-game suspension, he showed no contrition and took no accountability for the domestic violence incident that sidelined him for the start the season. And when he arrived in Chicago after being traded to the Cubs, he shrugged off a question about what would be expected of him off the field, saying he was sleepy when he spoke to team owner Tom Ricketts and couldnt remember what was discussed. He also dismissed any suggestion that he might work with domestic violence groups to speak out on the issue. His camp said the disastrous opening media session was the result of a translating error, but the message seemed to be the same one hed sent in New York -- Im done talking about this.Chapman has been a tremendous asset to the Cubs, particularly when called upon to pitch multiple innings to close out tight postseason games. And by all accounts, hes been a fine teammate and has stayed out of trouble off the field. One can hope that hes gotten to the root of his issuees and is actively working to end the cycle of the violence, but hope is all we have.dddddddddddd Hes made no effort to speak out against domestic violence and, as of August 27, had attended just one counseling session. If second chances are to be given in professional sports, fans deserve more transparency.I have to admit that those final innings were some of the most stressful, agonizing moments of my life, but with the benefit of hindsight Im grateful that Chapman blew the lead. Because of his failings, the lasting image of my teams first World Series win in over a century was not of Chapman on the mound celebrating a save. Instead of Chapman in the big pile-up, it was Mike Montgomery, who got one out to record his first career save and clinch it for the Cubs.That might sound petty, but as someone who felt conflicted about Chapmans role on the team since his arrival, there was a sort of poetic justice to him doing nothing to facilitate the Cubs final moment of glory -- even if he was technically credited with the win. Hes almost certainly off to another team in the offseason and a new fanbase will have to decide whether hes made efforts to change or not, whether they will cheer for him or stay silent.Im grateful that the stars aligned to let me be alive in this moment, old enough to understand this grand adventure, to appreciate it and not take a bit of it for granted. Grateful for the 103 times we got to sing Go Cubs Go at the end of regular-season wins and grateful for the 11 postseason versions, each sung with added fervor. Grateful for the summer days spent watching a winning team at Wrigley Field, baking in the sun, cracking peanuts and talking about life -- the mundane and the meaningful. And for the fall nights at the park, counting down the wins until the champagne sprayed for a Division title and a playoff berth.Grateful to see October magic return to the Friendly Confines -- her brick sides covered in chalk, messages of support and memories of loved ones come and gone. To see the green of the ivy begin to turn red and the autumn sun dip down into the grandstands, leaving a splash of orange sky in its wake. Grateful to have been right in the middle of the madness, on the field, in the stands, with the crowds and on the road.All of us in the ballpark and watching at home are forever linked by this one moment in time, the moment that a lifetime of faithful devotion was finally validated. After 108 years, we finally get to retire the old saying, Theres Always Next Year. This is the year. ' ' '